Air-lock.



W. H. PLAHERTY.

' AIR LOOK. APPLICATION FILED 1030.7, 1910.

986,970. Patented Mar. 14, 1911.-

[MENTOR William H.Floher+y ATTORNEYS THE NORRIS PETER's co.. wAsnmcmu, nc.

FFTQ.

WILLIAM H. FLAHERTY, F YORK, N. Y.

AIR-LOCK.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. FLA HERTY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, inthe county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new andImproved Air-Lock, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

This invention relates to air locks such as used in construction workemploying caissons into which air is forced under pressure and which mayalso be used in connection with wrecking vessel and located on the deckof the same.

The object of the invention is to produce an air lock the doors of whichcan be operated conveniently from the exterior of the lock, theconstruction being such as will enable a. great force to be applied tothe doors in opening or shutting the same, giving more room andpreventing accidents which usually occur with the swinging type of doorThe invention consists in the construction and combination of parts tobe more fully described hereinafter and set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a vertical central section through an air lock constructedaccording to my invention; Fig. 2 is a horizon-talsection on the line 22of Fig. 1; and Fig.

3 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 2, but

showing a modified construction.

Referring more particularly to the parts, 1 represents the shell or caseof the air lock, the upper end of which is provided with an upper head 2having a double wall as shown. The lower end of the lock is formed witha dished bottom 3, and above this bottom a lower head 4 is providedsimilar to the head 2. Below the bottom 3 a neck 5 is provided, by meansof which the air lock is attached to the upper end of the shaft of thecaisson. The heads 2 and 4 are provided with manholes 6 disposedcentrally therein as shown. In the preferred form of the invention,these manholes 6 are closed by doors 7 formed in sections 8. These doorsections 8 or doors are of substantially semicircular form as shown,meeting on a diametrically disposed line 9. At one side theySpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December '7, 1910.

particularly or recesses 26 which form a circular Serial No. 596,041.

are mounted upon pivot bolts 10, and'beyond these bolts they are formedinto extensions in the form of segments 11, said segments having teeth12 which are circumferentially disposed about the bolts as centers.

Passing through the air look just below the heads 2 and 4, I provideworm shafts l3 and 13 which have worms l4 and 15 which are respectivelyof rightand lefthand pitch, as shown. The shaft 18 which is disposedbeneath the upper head, projects from the shell or case 1, and carries arigid hand wheel 16 by means of which the worm shaft may be rotated. Asimilar hand wheel 17 is provided, but this hand wheel is looselymounted on the shaft 13, and is provided with a rigid sprocket wheel 18.Over this sprocket wheel a sprocket chain 19 passes, the lower end ofthis chain passing around a sprocket wheel 20 which is rigidly attachedto the shaft 13 The doors 8 are closely held against the under sides ofthe heads as illustrated, packing rings 21 of rubber or similar materialbeing placed between the doors and the under faces of the heads asindicated. On its under side, each head is provided with guide irons 22which are in the form of Z-bars riveted to the under sides of the heads,and having flanges 23 which project toward the pivot bolts 10. Theseguide irons or guide bars are disposed in two arcs or bows 24c struckfrom the axes of the bolts 10 as centers. Each of the doors 8 isprovided at its outer edge with a roller 25-, these rollers run on theupper sides of the flanges 23, as illustrated most clearly in Fig. 1.The doors 8 at the upper end of the lock, on their meeting edges 9, areformed with enlarged semicircular notches opening when the doors cometogether, as will be readily understood, and in this opening I provide astuffing-box 27 which will permit a suspending cable 28 to pass downwardly through the air lock into the interior of the caisson. Thisstufling-box is not provided at the lower head, as it is unnecessary,the doors at this point being constructed so as to form an opening ofreduced diameter for the cable. The stufling-box is unnecessary at thelower head, as the doors at this point are open when the cable is inmotion.

At suitable points, the shell or casing 1 is provided with windows 29which admit light to the interior of the lock. The chamber which isformed below the lower head Patented Mar. ii, rain pressure to beadmitted from the caisson into the interior of the lock,'and which alsoenables air under pressure within the lock to be allowed toescape intothe atmosphere;

It should be understood that by rotating the hand wheel 16 the doors 8of theupper head may be opened or closed simultane ously. By reason ofthe worms and segments, a great leverage results which tends to preventthe doors from becoming stuck or jammed in any position. By rotating thehand wheel 17, the doors of the lower head "may be operated.

In th form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3, 32 represents thecylindrical shell having an upper head 33 closed by doors 34. Thesedoors are of substantially semicircularform like the doors 8, but areconstructed with extensions having the form of segments 35 which meshwith each other, the doors being brought together on a diametrical lineas shown. The outer edges of the doors are guided, as in the first form,upon guide irons or guide bars 36. The doors are adapted to swingoutwardly upon their pivot bolts 37, the moving force being imparted tothe doors through the medium of a pinion 3.8 which is operated from apoint above the upper head by means of a suitable lever 39. The doors ofthe lower head are similarly operated by a lever 40 disposed at thelower end of the lock. Except for the manner of constructing the doorsaround their pivot bolts, and the means for operating the doors, theconstruction in this form is substantially the same as that described inconnection with the form first set forth.

- Having thus described my invention,

claim as new and desire to secure by Leters Patent:

1. An air lock having a flat head with an opening therethrough, a pairof doors having edges meeting on the diameter of sai opening, said doorshaving pivots disposed at right angles'to the plane of said head, meansfor simultaneously opening and closing the said doors, and means forguiding the outer ends of said doors on the under side of said head.

2. An air lock comprising a shell and having doors having meeting edges,said doors having segments formed thereupon and pivot bolts about whichthey rotate, and a worm shaft extending through said shell, and havingworms of opposite pitch engaging said segments to open and close saiddoors. p

3. An air lock comprising a shell, a head, doors pivotally mounted onsaid head and having meeting edges, said doors having segments formedtherewith and pivots about which said doors may swing, a worm shafthaving worms meshing with said segments for opening and closing saiddoors, and means for guiding the outer ends of said doors on said head.

In testimonywhereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM H. FLAHERTY.

Witnesses:

A. H. DAVIS, PHILIP D. RoLLHAUs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G.

